Keaton Stromberg is a singer and songwriter who was born and raised in Washington state. Despite being only 20-years-old, Keaton has already made a name for himself in indie and alternative music circles. In April 2017, he released an album entitled The Simple Life, which he wrote, recorded, mixed, mastered and produced. Moreover, Keaton performed all the instrumentation on the album, which was recorded entirely in his home studio. Keaton considers bands such as Foster the People, Passion Pit and Death Cab for Cutie as being his biggest influences. He recently discussed his career and his aspirations for the future:

Meagan Meehan (MM):What prompted you to get into music, specifically as an indie-alternative artist?

Keaton Stromberg (KS): I’ve always been in love with music. My family has a very musical background, my mom being a phenomenal harpist and my dad being a film composer. I really fell in love with the indie-alternative sound when I first heard Death Cab for Cutie’s song “I Will Possess Your Heart” on a gloomy morning drive to school when I was in middle school. I’ve kept up with the sound listening to bands like Death Cab, Foster the People, Passion Pit and many others.

MM:How did you go about getting your music heard? Essentially, how did you grow your fan base?

KS: The internet and social media is one of the most powerful marketing and connecting tools available today. I have connected with many fans on a personal level via Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and others. There are also many online bloggers and press outlets that have picked up my album, The Simple Life and helped me share it with the world.

Keaton Stromberg is only 20 but he is a rising star in the indie-alternative music scene. Featured image credit: Keaton StrombergKeaton Stromberg

MM:Out of all the songs that you have created, which ones are your favorites? What is your all-time favorite song of all time?

KS: One of my favorite songs is one called “You Will Not Be Forgotten.” A song written for my grandfather who passed away a few years back. One of my favorite songs of all time is “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” by Death Cab for Cutie.

MM:How did you decide on the theme of your latest music video?

KS: “The Simple Life” video is actually just a sort of visualizer to go along with the song. I wanted the shots used in the video to feel as though you’re living a simple life.

MM:What was production like? Did filming take a long time?

KS: I actually just filmed and edited this video on my own. One of my friends let me use his drone, I have a Sony camera and we went out and filmed everything all in one day.

MM:If you could make any kind of video, with an unlimited budget, what would you spring for?

KS: I would love to have an extravagant animated music video at some point. I’m a big fan of visual effects and cartoon animation so something involving those would be amazing.

MM:Where do you hope to go from here in your career?

KS: I’d like to continue building an amazing fan-base that can help me share love with the world.

Keaton Stromberg's new album is titled "The Simple Life". Featured image credit: Keaton StrombergKeaton Stromberg

MM:What has been the best part of working in music and what are some of your big dreams for the future?

KS: The best part of working in the music business is seeing music heal broken hearts and being a part of sharing Love in such a massive way. It’s truly remarkable how music can express love in so many ways. My dream for the future is that people will stop creating fear and hatred, and rather create love and happiness.

MM:What forthcoming projects are you really looking forward to?

KS: I’m looking forward to writing and producing more authentic music. Music that actually means something and will help others. In the meantime, I hope that my current album, The Simple Life, reaches out to those who need it.